SF4873

Purpose

This bill creates a public registry for repeat domestic violence offenders in Minnesota. It aims to track and publish information about people who have multiple domestic violence-related offenses, with the goal of aiding public safety and investigations.

Key Definitions and who is covered

• Domestic violence offender: a person convicted of a qualified domestic violence-related offense after having been previously convicted of a qualified domestic violence-related offense.
• Family or household member: defined as in existing law (the people protected by Minnesota’s family/household member rules).
• Qualified domestic violence-related offense: a defined set of offenses in Minnesota law, applied only when the offenses are against a family or household member of the offender.
• Scope: applies only to offenses against a family or household member of the offender.

What the registry publishes and how

• The commissioner of public safety must maintain a registry of domestic violence offenders.
• The registry includes: offender’s name, address, date of birth, date and county of conviction, crime of conviction, recent photograph, and, if available, a copy of the offender’s driver’s license or other government ID.
• Registry information must be available to peace officers investigating a crime.
• The commissioner must run a public, searchable website that displays the offender’s name, date of birth, date and county of conviction, and photograph.

Responsibilities of courts and other officials

• Upon conviction for a registrable offense, the court must inform the person about the duty to register and forward the required information (name, address, date of birth, county and crime of conviction, latest photo, and ID) to the public safety commissioner.
• If the person is under a probation officer or is incarcerated, the officer or corrections official must check whether the information has been sent and forward it if needed.
• Failure by the court, probation officer, or corrections official to act does not excuse the person from registering.

Registration duration

• The public safety commissioner must maintain the person’s registration and keep publishing the information for a period based on how many prior qualifying offenses the person has:
  • 5 years if there is one prior offense
  • 7 years if there are two prior offenses
  • 10 years if there are three prior offenses
  • 20 years if there are four or more prior offenses

Cooperation and ongoing updates

• People required to register must cooperate with the commissioner, court, and corrections officials.
• They must provide updated address information if they move and update photographs and other required information.

Penalties for noncompliance

• If a registrant knowingly fails to register, provides false information, or otherwise violates the registry requirements, they are guilty of a misdemeanor.

Fees and funding

• A $150 registration fee is added to the offense when a person is convicted of a registrable offense.
• The fee is split: $50 goes to the general fund, the remainder goes to the Minnesota Victims of Crime Account.
• The court must waive the fee for people who are indigent and may waive or reduce the fee if payment would cause undue hardship.

Significance and potential impact

• Creates a new public-facing tool to monitor repeat domestic violence offenders.
• Expands information sharing with law enforcement via a public website and online registry.
• Introduces mandatory reporting duties for courts and corrections staff.
• Establishes a funding mechanism for victims’ services through the Victims of Crime Account.

Relevant Terms - domestic violence offender registry - domestic violence offenses - qualified domestic violence-related offense - family or household member - commissioner of public safety - public website / online registry - peace officers - registration period - cooperation / updated address - misdemeanor - registration fee - Minnesota Victims of Crime Account - indigency / hardship - driving license copy / government ID - conviction date / date of birth / county of conviction - recent photograph